Rarely do I write about the same issue back-to-back, but this thing with Charles Pugh is really starting to get to me. Because more than anything else, I feel like this is just sad. God knows Detroit doesn’t need any more scandals, but I also think it’s important to emphasize that this hasn’t become a scandal quite yet, even though Pugh still hasn’t shown his face at his job as Detroit City Council President in more than two weeks. The first thing that popped into the front of a lot of folks’ minds was sleazy when they heard that a mother of a teenage boy was accusing Pugh with ‘inappropriate conduct’ towards her 17-year-old son when he allegedly gave him money and a few gifts, but there has yet to be any evidence of anything sexual nor has the boy’s mother filed any report with the police alleging that any type of improper sexual conduct occurred. All the mother is saying is that she wants the police to investigate, and the police are saying that, based on what they have so far, it appears that her case is pretty thin.

But then there was the story in today’s Detroit News quoting a few texts that Pugh apparently sent to the boy’s mother “begging” her not to pursue the avenue of action that she has already taken because it would “destroy” him. Here’s the quote that worries me the most:

“I feel like I’ve run out of options to even have a normal life. Or even live,” said a text message sent from Pugh’s phone on June 18.

Obviously if it turns out Pugh did anything more sinister than what has been reported so far then he needs to pay for that, and simply praying on it won’t be enough. But so far all it looks like is that this is a man who needs help, and I mean quick. Of course it’s irresponsible for a grown man to just up and walk away from his job, a job given to him by the voters of Detroit who have always held him in high esteem and who believed he would always act in their best interest. But judging by just those few snippets of text reported in the News today, I think this may be way past scolding Pugh for leaving work early.